3 Simple Tips for Photographing Jewelry

Photographing jewelry can be very challenging, especially when you’re trying to get sharp, close up photos that show off the jewelry’s detail and craftsmanship. In the video below, photographer Frida Fahrman gives some simple tips and tricks you can use to make your jewelry look spectacular:

1. Take Lots of Test Shots

One of the most important things you can do with any product photography is take a few test shots. This allows you to check your lighting, try out different angles and general composition and figure out if you need to make any adjustments.

2. Reflect the Light

Another thing to keep in mind–especially when photographing jewelry–is that the shiny surfaces of metal and precious stones reflect a lot of light. As a result, using an on-camera flash is generally out of the question. It’s not only too bright at such a close distance, but it’s also usually in the wrong position to light up the jewelry properly without creating harsh shadows.

No need to buy a reflector; aluminum foil works just as well for jewelry photos.

Reflectors help with lighting, and Fahrman suggests using foil as a silver reflector. Experiment with different colors of reflectors to see what works best with the jewelry you are photographing.

3. Use Your Cell Phone Flash

If a reflector isn’t enough to fill in shadows, Fahrman has an interesting low-cost solution. When reflectors don’t cut it, she uses the flash on her cell phone to give her that extra bit of light. That way she can control the angle and proximity of the flash, lighting up her pieces with just the right amount of extra light in the right places.

Using a cell phone flash to fill in light is one of Fahrman’s simple lighting solutions.

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